Ambrosius aurelianus biography

&#;AMBROSIUS AURELIANUS (fl. ), called Emrys by Welsh writers, was a leader of the Britons in the fifth century, about whose history little that is certain can be extracted from the mass of legend that has gathered about his name.

Our earliest authority, Gildas, speaks of him with enthusiasm, but with little definiteness, as the leader who checked the victorious advance of the Saxon invaders. He describes Ambrosius as ‘courteous, faithful, valiant, and true; a man of Roman birth who had alone survived the conflict, his kindred, who had worn the purple, having perished in the struggle; his descendants, greatly degenerated in these days from the excellence of their ancestors, still provoke their conquerors to battle, and by the grace of God their prayers for victory are heard.’ Geoffrey of Monmouth and other later writers represent Ambrosius as the son of Constantine, who was elected emperor in Britain, Gaul, and Spain dur